The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-10

the OOtly anu ulllIOIluitr Vi tCAtule
and color of the second years growth |
on the best tobacco lands.
USE OF FERTILIZERS AND MANUREs.
Fertilizers are applied upon new as
we'll as upon old lands. In the older
tobacco counties, cases are given where
tobacco has been grown upon land for
twenty years in succession without de-
crease in yield or deterioration in quail
ty; but, always with the aid of manures.
Such lands appear to possess perma-
nent qualities, which need only the
addition of fertilizers and manures
and it is believed, with proper care
and rotation, most Of them can be
kept up indefinitely. The mechanical
condition of the soil, and the absence
of certain inorganic elements have
more to do with the production of fine
tobacco than supply Of plant food.
This soil is, indeed, a sponge which
receives and retains just fertilizers
enough to bring the plant to the
proper size, when they become exhaust
ed, and the plant goes into a gradual
decline, growing more and more yell
low and more and more delicate in
tissue, until it is cut. Too much
manure will destroy the fine qualities
of the leaf, impairing its color and in
creasing its Coarseness.
TlIC pEcT TnpAccO TANnc
Old fields Of the proper soil which
have been worn out and abandoned
make, when cleared of their new
growth, the best tobacco lands. They
are generally overgrown with pines,
with an underground Of whortleberry,
chlnquepins and other bushes, the pine
growing to two feet in diameter in
about twenty-five years. About IS or
20 years are required for the resus-
citation of old worn out lands. One
such field was planted in corn in 1850
and the yield was SO poor that the
fence was removed. In 1876 it was
cleared of its pine growth and planted
IN tobacco, which brought fifty cents a
pound for the whole crop. This field
has been cultivated in tobacco for five
successive years, and the last crop was
better than the first. The land was
treated the first year with 200 lbs of a
fertilizer and has since received yearly
applications of stable manure and fer
tilizer in the drill. These old pine
fields, when they have gray, sandy
soil, and yellow subsoil are the best
oftobacco lands. A man selected few
acres which had grown up in bald-faceo
spanish oaks, scrub hickory, chinquepir
and sour wood, all indicative of very
poor land, and the crop raised sold fo
fifty cents a pound at the barn door
When the soil is of the right kind, olt
fields which have lain for years il
/, "broom sedge' or broom grass, grow
, the very finest tobacco, while they ar
=, almost worthless for other crops. Thi
"sedge' is turned under in the fall be
fore frost, and tobacco is planted tn
J., next spring. A Southern exposure
= generally sought for fine tobacco
: This soil is drier and warmer and tn
y y plant natures earlier. The rich blac
: soil of Northern slopes will not pro
: duce fine tobacco, while few yard
: off on the other slope the finest ma
! be grown. The bright tobacco sol
- are very irregularly distributed form
ing, even in the most favored countie
:. small proportion of the whole are;
So controlling IS the constitution (
- - the soil, that a part of the same far
\ and even of the same field, may pre-
:. duce the finest brands known in tt
~ ~ market, and the other part be who'll
10 incapable of making anything bett'
=, than the commonest article. II
- - quality Of the tobacco is determine
:. absolutely in the field before cuttir
= and no manipulation in the handlin
, > or curing will make fancy bright
=. - tobacco out of plant of inferior te
- y ture and color of leaf, although Il
=, ~ best grades may fail and be spoiled
~. ~ the curing. AS general statemer
- - the bright tobacco patches and be
- of land are found On the ridges al
" " benches, the divides between the wat
y, courses. Wherever there is found
~ these ridges subsoil of gray or "
vs lowish gravelly, or sandy loan, CO
~ cred with gray, sandy or grave
soil, the bright tobacco may be grow
These favorable conditions of soil :
always indicated by the native grow
ITS This growth, is usually of stunted Ga
n chiefly post oak and white oak, &c
no orally mingled with pines, and son
're times with an admixture of dogwot
gh black jack, or sourwood. Such SC
OF are generally nearly worthless
St wheat or corn, or for any other of
he ordinary crops of the county,. a
ew until this new industry developed tn
'ut capacity they were valued at 81 or
I've per acre whereas they are now
IDS most valuable lands of the distr
he most eagerly sought after and
OF valued at $40, SIS, sa5 and $40
'on acre.
IN AREA OF THE BRIGHT TOBACCO BE
ice Until very recently, the area of bri
ca tobacco was confined to less tina
en- dozen counties. Granville, Vance, [
cry ham, Person, Orange, Caswell,